Foundation garment



March 16, 1943. J, NE 2,313,811

FOUNDATION GARMENT 7 Filed March 14, 1941 Patented Mar. 16, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE V FOUNDATION GARMENT Harry Jay Dubner, Forest mu tang Island, N. Y. Application March 14, 1941, Serial No. 383,281

1 Claim.

This invention relates to foundation garments.

One object of theinvention is to provide a foundation garment having improved means for supporting busts of different sizes.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a foundation garment having improved means for changing the size of the lower parts of the bust pockets independently of the upper partsthereof. 7

Another object of the invention is to furnish a foundation garment having improved means for adjusting the tensions at different sections in conformity with different busts to obtain a smooth, balanced effect to assure comfort.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the specification proceeds.

With the aforesaid objects in view, the invention consists in the novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described in their preferred embodiments, pointed out in the subjoined claim, and illustrated in the annexed drawing, wherein like parts are designated by the same. reference characters throughout the several views.

In the drawing: 1

Figure 1 is a, fragmentary view in front elevation of a foundation garment embodying the invention, showing the same adjusted for a relatively large bust.

Figs. 2 and 3 are sectional views on the lines 2-2 and 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in front elevation of the garment showing the same adjusted for a small bust.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig.4.

The advantages of the invention as here outlined are best realized when all of its features and instrumentalities are combined in one and the same structure, but, useful devices may be produced embodying less than the whole.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, that the same may be incorporated in several different constructions. The accompanying drawing, therefore, is submitted merely as showingthe preferred exemplification of the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawing, I0 denotes a foundation garment, such as a brassiere, embodying the invention. The same may include a member II having bust receiving pockets I2, which may be fashioned in any suitable manner,

as with the, aid of the seams I3, I4.

Heretofore it has been impossible to obtain accurate adjustment of a foundation garment to fit busts of different sizes. The only recourse was to have the garment made to individual measure, insteadof by quantity production methods. Attempts had been made to provide for adjustment, but these were unsuccessful for various reasons. One reason was that the tendency was to lift the entire bust without obtaining a compensating increased holding down of the bust. This was true of certain drawstrings or devices which passed slidably under the bust pocket. The resultwas that the adjustment was either unsatisfactory or else crowdedthe bust and caused discomfort. Accordingly manufacturers came to rely merely upon different arrangements of the shoulder straps, which necessarily had severe limitations.

According to the present invention, I employ suitable contractile means which may be ribbons or elastic elements and which are disposed substantially as shown. Thus for each pocket I2, I provide a pair of ribbons I5, I6 which extend from the top edges of the pockets at which they are secured by stitching I6. These ribbonsconverge downwardly rather sharply, and come together almost at a point at the bottom of the pocket, this point being substantially directly below the center of the pocket. As a result of this convergence, the ribbons I5, I6, at the points I! are at the extreme ends of thepocket, and then partially overlie the pocket as will be apparent by comparison with the dotted line circle I8 which may be considered as indicative of the bust or of the effective portion of the pocket. The ribbons I6, I I pass through guide members I9 which are stitched at their edges 20 to the garment, and are open at their lower ends for the projecting portions of the ribbons which may thus be secured or tied in a knot as at 2|. Formed along the members are openings 22 of substantial size. As shown in Figure 4, the slidable ribbons I5, I6 have been withdrawn through openings 22 at a higher elevationuand secured as by a knot 23 which thus lies above the bottom of the pocket as compared with Fig. 1 in which the knot 2| lies at the bottom of the pocket.

The shoulder straps may be connected to the pockets I2 by spaced elements 25, 26 which may be fixedly interconnected at 2"! by stitching, or the like. The elements 25 and 26 are conventional except that one of the elements such as the element 25 is adjustable in length. Thus it may comprise a loop 28 and a conventional buckle 29. Thus the element 25 may be shortened as the tension on the ribbons I5, I6 is increased to prevent undue sagging of the garment at the central region of the brassiere, between the pockets l2.

The operation of the garment I!) will now be described. Figure 1 shows a position of adjustment for a bust of relatively large size. The

lower portions of the ribbons l5, I6 support the lower part of the pocket and hence the bust, at the region A. This permits varying effects of fullness to be produced. Moreover, the intermediate parts of the ribbons overlie the sides of the pockets, between the centers and the sides thereof, at the region B to hold the bust against the body. The wide separation of the ribbons at the top assures a smooth conformity to the body. For a small bust, the ribbons may be substantially tensioned. If this is not enough, the knot or bow 2| is opened, and the ribbons are withdrawn and passed through openings 22 at a higher elevation and secured as at 23. This moves the lower part of the pocket to a difierent angle or flattens it against the body as shown at 3!) thus diminishing the size of the bottom region of the pocket independently of the top section thereof. Thus the pocket elevates the small bust and holds it in an attractive snug fitting pocket. Sometimes it may occur that the downward pull of the ribbon I6 may cause the brassire to sag at its central portion which is normally unsupported by the shoulder straps. When this occurs, the strap elements 25 may be adjusted as by manipulation of the buckles 29, without disturbing the strap portions 26; and thus attaining a proper balance.

It will be understood that this invention is applicable to corselets and other foundation garments.

I claim:

A foundation garment including a body member having bust receiving pockets, a pair of upright elements for each pocket extending from the top to the bottom thereof, the upper portions of the elements being approximately vertical and the lower portions of the elements of each pocket converging toward each other, a lacing member for each element, each element having means for slidiably guiding its lacing member, each element having openings spaced therealong through any of which the lacing member can be caused to project at will to thus vary the extent of engagement of the lacing member with its element, each element being fixedly secured to its pocket at the top thereof, and the lacing members of each pocket being continuously engaged with their elements from the top of their pocket to a point spaced above the bottom of the pocket so as to be free of the lower portions of said elements, said lacing members having their otherwise free end portions that project from the opening of the elements secured together so as to constrict the lower portions of the pockets and to raise the effective bottoms of the pockets while uniformly gathering the pockets above the points at Which the lacingmembers of each pocket are secured together.

HARRY JAY DUBNER. 

